How To Train Dogs To Detect Diabetes

Tanya Farber of Times Live recently reported on the training of Honey, the first South African dog in training detect blood sugar levels among those with diabetes. The dog belongs to Duncan Smuts, an 11-year-old boy with diabetes. Honey will follow Duncan everywhere, even at school, to keep tabs on his blood sugar levels, which need to be checked at two-hour intervals, 24 hours a day.

The training utilizes samples of Duncan’s saliva taken during times of high and low blood sugar. Through positive reinforcement procedures, trainers are working to train Honey to not only discriminate the smells of saliva but to engage in particular behaviors, such as alerting others to Duncan’s condition, fetching a phone, or fetching medication.

Duncan was quoted as saying “The most difficult part of diabetes is having to check my sugar consistently and it is very irritating having my parents on my back all the time telling me about sugar and insulin. I also can’t go to sleepovers because my dad worries about me and he can’t sleep.”

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Todd A. Ward, PhD, BCBA-D is President of bSci21 Media, LLC, which owns bSci21.org and BAQuarterly.com. Todd serves as an Associate Editor of the Journal of Organizational Behavior Management and as an editorial board member for Behavior and Social Issues. He has worked as a behavior analyst in day centers, residential providers, homes, and schools, and served as the director of Behavior Analysis Online at the University of North Texas. Todd’s areas of expertise include writing, entrepreneurship, Acceptance & Commitment Therapy, Instructional Design, Organizational Behavior Management, and ABA therapy. Todd can be reached at todd.ward@bsci21.org.